By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

As Muslims prepare to begin this year’s holy month of Ramadan, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, MMWG, has called on all Islamic preachers all over the country to conduct themselves in the true spiritual manners that would upscale the knowledge of true believers in the service of God and humanity at large.

It has long been the practice of many Muslim clerics to engage in daily preachings in the media, especially on radio and television stations as well as the open air, among others.

The MMWG, in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Ustaz Ibrahim Abdullahi and the National Secretary, Dr. Nasir Balogun, and issued on Wednesday, described the period of Ramadan as a period that call for sober reflection.

It pointed out that “not all those who wanted to make it to this year’s holy month of Ramadan were able to make it, as thousands have returned to their Creator – Almighty Allah, pointing out that man’s continuous existence on this planet is conditioned by Allah.”

While praying for Allah’s forgiveness for the departed, the group called on those alive to do more of appreciations to Almighty Allah, seek His protection, do good deeds and beg Him for more opportunities to witness more of the holy months on earth than they desired.

Turning to religious leaders and preachers, the MMWG cautioned them against their excesses “as regards lust for money, display of wealth and preaching the word of God in a manner unbecoming of true believers in Islam”, saying they must be role models not only in preaching, but also in actions and practices – urging them to seek Allah’s forgiveness in their excesses of the past and resolve to tow the path of honour and dignity.

The group also urged some people parading themselves as Islamic scholars without adequate knowledge and those with bad characters to stay off media religious broadcast, warning that they would be arrested and prosecuted by security agencies if they fail to heed this advice during this Ramadan.

Similarly, MMWG called on electronic media organizations all over the country not to allow any unqualified preachers use their platforms for derogatory preaching, abusive utterances and display irresponsible vituperations no matter the amount they might have been paid for programmes sponsorship adding that the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC would deal seriously with violators of the broadcasting code.

It, however, admonished Muslims to know that the only authority for the commencement and ending of Ramadan fasting in Nigeria is the Sarkin Muslumi – the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who would make public announcement based on valid reports of moon-sighting in various parts of Federation and beyond.